Thoracic and abdominal plate for cadavers and method of using

ABSTRACT

A restoration plate adapted to restore the thorax and abdomen of a cadaver which has been subjected to a postmortem examination and method of restoring therewith, comprised of a bilaterally symetrically shaped plate constructed of self supporting material Having a plurality of projections adapted to engage musculature and/or skin of the torso.

United States Patent 1191 Holmes, Sr.

[ Oct. 30, 1973 THORACIC AND ABDOMINAL PLATE FOR CADAVERS AND METHOD OF USING [76] Inventor: James D. Holmes, Sr., P.O. Box'275,

lisl, Ind, 4733 [22] Filed: Feb. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 225,112

521 U.S. c1. 27121 [51] Int. Cl .1 A0ln 1/00 [58] Field of Search 128/87 R, 171, 132; 27/21 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,370,850 3/1945 Embser 1. 27/21 3,121,934 2/1964 Sorensen 27/21 Primary ExaminerRichard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-Henry .l. Recia Attorney-Robert H. Dewey [57] ABSTRACT A restoration plate adapted to restore the thorax and abdomen of a cadaver which has been subjected to a postmortem examination and method of restoring therewith, comprised of a bilaterally symetrically shaped plate constructed of self supporting material Having a plurality of projections adapted to engage musculature and/or skin of the torso.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDm:r30 I973 HGI HGZA

THORACIC AND ABDOMINAL PLATE FOR CADAVERS AND METHOD OF USING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION the common practice to open the thoracic and abdominal cavities by cutting through the abdominal skin and muscles along a midline from approximately the pubic region to approximately the center of attachment of the pectoral muscles, then upwardly along diagonal lines to the point of attachment of the collar bones to the shoulder. The tissues are then separated from the bony structure and laid open to expose the front portion of the rib cage. The front portion is then removed by cutting through the ribs along the sides and across the top, usually leaving the clavicles intact, and cutting freefrom the diaphragm at the bottom. This then permits removal of a portion or all of the viscera for examination.

Following the examination the viscera are placed in a bag and returned to the body cavity, except for when the viscera are retained for further study. The chest and abdominal tissues are then returned to normal position and the skin is sutured However considerable difficulty is experienced in returning the exterior of the chest to normal position and carrying out the suturing process FIG. 3 is a top view of a human .torso showing the manner of laying open the skin and rib cage for a' postmortem examination of the internal body organs (not shown), some parts thereof broken away.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the thoracic and abdominal cavity of a torso which has undergone post-mortem exar'nination and which is covered with the thoracic and abdominal plateof this invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the torso restored according to the method of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The thoracic and abdominal plate of this invention is shown in top view, FIG. 1 and side view, FIG. 2. The

7 plate 1 is constructed of a self supporting material,

preferably resilient. It is bilaterally symmetrical and generally curved to resemble the chest and abdominal region of a human being. The plate is generally straight or somewhat curved across the top portion 2 and adapted to rest on the clavicles 3 (FIG. 3) and upper portion of the sternum 4, if present. The upper corner portions 5 curve concavely downward to circumvent the'deltoid regions 6 (FIG. 3), i.e. the shoulder joint. The sides 7 are generally straight to about the upper pelvic region 8 and generally, but not necessarily, adapted to rest on the severed ends of the ribs 9. Advantageously the sides can also be bent inwardly to fit under the rib ends, and the top 2 can be bent downbecause of lack of support for the sternum and atv but there has remained the problem of suturing the abdominal wall and chest tissues. This is a timeconsuming and difficult step because of the trouble encountered in maintainingnthe tissues in the desire d position until the suturing is complete.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a thoracic and abdominal plate for cadavers.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of restoring the torso of a cadaver which has undergone post-mortem examination.

It is another object of this invention to eliminate the suturing process required for restoring the thorax and abdomen of a cadaver which has undergone postmortem examination.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein.

FIG. 1 is a top view of the thoracic and abdominal plate.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the thoracic and abdominal plate, showing the projections which are not in proportion to the general dimensions of the plate.

FIG. 2A is a close-up view of one projection.

wardly to fit under the sternum when desired. At about the pelvic region 8, the lower sides curve generally concavely inwardly l0 and taper, except for optional arms 16, to the end of the plate 11 which is adapted to terminate in the pubic area 12, preferably but not necessarily to rest on the pubes of the torso. The surface of the plate 1 contains a plurality of projections 13, generally conical, spaced either at random or in systematic pattern and adapted to engage the musculature and/or skin 14 of the torso.

Preferably the projections from. the surface of the plate form a generally rectangular pattern having sides of about 1 to about 3 in. Preferably the projections are spaced about 2 in. apart. In FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 the projections are shown in an exaggerated manner, grossly out of proportion to the dimensions of the plate.

The projections provided for engaging the tissues are generally from about one-fourth to about one-half inches or more in height,- preferably about threeeighths inch. The projections can be straight or conical, and preferably pointed rather than blunt in order to easily engage the tissues. For reasons of safety, they should not be so sharp as to constitute a hazard to personnel handling them. One such projection is shown in close-up in FIG. 2A.

The optional arm 16, which may be free from the projections, extend generally perpendicular to the long axis of the plate and are adapted to be curvable into a generally arcuate shape, generally conformable to the inner curvature of the lower abdominal cavity where they provide support for the lower portion of the plate. It is understood that although the arms 16 are generally preferred, it is within the embodiment of the present invention to employ a thoracic and abdominal plate free from them, e. g. for use when the abdominal viscera are left intact.

Preferably, but not necessarily, a layer of absorbent material, e.g. thin'cotton batting, is secured to the underside surface of the plate to absorb residual body fluids, thereby eliminating or minimizing seepage of fluids.

FIG. 3 is the top view showing a human torso laid open for post-mortem examination with the internal organs removed. The frontal portion of the rib cage and most of the sternum have been removed leaving the clavicles 3 and upper sternum 4. The skin and muscular tissue 14 have been opened along a generally Y-shaped incision l5, visible as restored in FIG. 5.

In the method of restoring the abdominal wall and chest which forms an embodiment of the present invention, the viscera bag containing the viscera is placed in the cavity, except when the viscera are to be retained. Cotton wool is then, preferably but not necessarily, placed therein and so located as to provide support for the plate. The ribs and sternum which had been removed are now replaced in approximately their original position and the thoracic and abdominal plate is now installed.

Optionally the plate can be installed before returning the ribs and sternum. When this is done, the sides of the plate are bent downwardly to fit beneath the rib ends and the top portion 2 can similarly be bent downwardly to fit beneath the clavicles, if desired. 7

Individuals vary considerably in size, so the plate is trimmed, if necessary to conform to the size of the torso. Also, being of generally resilient construction it can be readily shaped by hand. In installing the plate, the top portion 2 is positioned upon the clavicles 3 and stump of the sternum 4, and the sides are supported by the rib ends 9; or, as previously described, the top and sides can be manually curved inwardly to fit beneath the remaining bony structure.

FIG. 4 is the top view showing the thoracic and abdominal plate installed in the torso. The sides 7, upper end 2 and lower end 11 are obscured by the tissues.

The tissues 14 are now grasped manually and brought into their approximately original position. Light pressure is applied, generally by hand, so that the tissues are engaged by projections'13. The skin should be dried thoroughly by any convenient method, e.g. with a dry towel, and a to 12 inch width of surgical tape 17 is applied over each of the .two diagonal incisions 18. Then another piece of tape is applied to close the midline incision preferably the tape extends from clavicles to pubes thus completely sealing the torso.

The surgical adhesive tpae used in the practice of this invention is known in the medical arts. These tapes generally are made from transparent polyethylene of about 3 mil thickness. The adhesive is generally a synthetic acrylate copolymer. They are available in almost any width up to 44 inches. Any of the known surgical tapes can be used in the practice of this invention. One suitable tape is marketed by 3M Company, Saint Paul, Minn., under the trade mark Blenderm No. 1525.

The thoracic and abdominal plate which form one embodiment of the present invention is preferably prepared from a resilient, deformable, thermoplastic molding resin, many of which are known, preferably polymers of ethylene styrene or vinyl chloride or copolymers thereof, and polystyrene is particularly preferred. Generally a thickness of 20-60 gauge can be used, preferably about 20-40 and 28 gauge is particularly preferred. Aluminum can also be used. The plate can be conveniently provided by molding comminuted particles of the resin, as is known, but precast sheets can be used by heating under pressure in a mold to provide the projections for engaging the tissues. If aluminum is used, the projections are provided by subjecting an aluminum sheet to pressure in a die.

The plate generally is conveniently provided in dimensions of about 25 inches in length and 18 inches in width. The top portion 2 (FIG. 1) is generally about 12 inches wide, and the bottom 11 is about 3 inches. The generally straight portion of side 7 is usually about 12 inches in length. The concave portion 10 is generally about l0-ll inches along a perpendicular from the corner 8 intersecting a line extending from end 11. The generally arcuate portion 5 is conveniently provided along a radius of about 3 inches. In describing dimension 5 as being generally arcuate it is understood that a precise radius need not be adhered to in constructing the plate. The shape provided can be a portion of the perimeter of an ellipse, rather than the arc of a circle. In other words, the curvatures of 5 and 10 are not limited to any particular geometric design but instead are adapted to the internal structures of the torso. The arms 16, when provided, are generally 2-4 inches in width and extend outwardly generally as far as sides 7. The arms 16 are generally perpendicular to the long axis of the plate, i.e. the top to bottom axis.

As previously mentioned, cadavers vary considerably in size. The plate can be readily trimmed or shaped at the time of use to conform to the internal dimensions of the cadaver.

The method of the present invention is advantageous in several aspects. For example, it eliminates the use of liquid sealers, yet all incisions are sealed so that fluids cannot seep to the outer surface. This provides better sanitation and helps to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Also, by eliminating the suturing process, considerable time is saved in the restoration process.

I claim 1. A post-mortem thoracic and abdominal restoration plate comprising a self-supporting sheet-like material having a top surface and a bottom surface and adapted to be positioned generally between (1 the rib cage and abdominal cavity and (2) the skin and muscular tissues of a cadaver, said plate being bilaterally symmetrical and having a. a top surface having a plurality of projections adapted to engage said skin and muscular tissues,

b. a generally straight top portion downwardly bendable and adapted to rest upon the clavicles of said cadaver or to fit beneath said clavicles,

c. generally concavely shaped upper corner portions adapted to circumscribe the shoulder joint,

d. upper opposite side edges downwardly bendable and adapted to rest upon the ends of the ribs of said cadaver, or to fit beneath said ends of ribs, and

e. generally concavely shaped lower corner portions terminating in f. a narrowed, generally straight lower portion adapted to rest on the pubes of said cadaver.

2. The plate of claim 1 wherein said lower portion is covered with an absorbent material.

3. The plate of claim 1 wherein a pair of flexible, curvable arms extend outwardly from said concavelyshaped lower corner portions, said arms being adapted to curve inwardly to conform to the general contours of said abdominal cavity.

4. A method for restoring the thorax and abdomen of a cadaver from which the front of the rib-cage and a portion of all of the viscera have been removed for post-mortem examination comprising the steps of a. placing the restoration plate of claim 1 in the body cavity of said cadaver ribs with (1) said top portion resting on the clavicles of said cadaver, or downwardly bending said top portion beneath said clavicles, and (2) the sides resting on the rib ends of said cadaver, or downwardly bending said sides beneath said rib ends, and (3) said lower portion resting on said viscera or pubes of said cadaver,

b. replacing the skin and tissues of said cadaver to their original position prior to said post-mortem examination and engaging therewith the projections of said plate, and

c. covering the abdomen and thorax and incisions therein with surgical tape.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said plate is the plate of claim 3 additionally comprising the step of bending said arms downwardly in said abdominal cavity.

6. The plate of claim 1 wherein said projections are within from about one-fourth to about one-half inch in height.

7. The plate of claim 1 wherein said projections are about three-eighth inch in height.

8. The plate of claim 1 wherein said plate is constructed of polymers of styrene, ethylene, vinyl chloride or copolymers thereof.

9. The plate of claim 1 wherein the underside surface is covered with an absorbent material. 

1. A post-mortem thoracic and abdominal restoration plate comprising a self-supporting sheet-like material having a top surface and a bottom surface and adapted to be positioned generally between (1) the rib cage and abdominal cavity and (2) the skin and muscular tissues of a cadaver, said plate being bilaterally symmetrical and having a. a top surface having a plurality of projections adapted to engage said skin and muscular tissues, b. a generally straight top portion downwardly bendable and adapted to rest upon the clavicles of said cadaver or to fit beneath said clavicles, c. generally concavely shaped upper corner portions adapted to circumscribe the shoulder joint, d. upper opposite side edges downwardly bendable and adapted to rest upon the ends of the ribs of said cadaver, or to fit beneath said ends of ribs, and e. generally concavely shaped lower corner portions terminating in f. a narrowed, generally straight lower portion adapted to rest on the pubes of said cadaver.
 2. The plate of claim 1 wherein said lower portion is covered with an absorbent material.
 3. The plate of claim 1 wherein a pair of flexible, curvable arms extend outwardly from said concavely-shaped lower corner portions, said arms being adapted to curve inwardly to conform to the general contours of said abdominal cavity.
 4. A method for restoring the thorax and abdomen of a cadaver from which the front of the rib-cage and a portion of all of the viscera have been removed for post-mortem examination comprising the steps of a. placing the restoration plate of claim 1 in the body cavity of said cadaver ribs with (1) said top portion resting on the clavicles of said cadaver, or downwardly bending said top portion beneath said clavicles, and (2) the sides resting on the rib ends of said cadaver, or downwardly bending said sides beneath said rib ends, and (3) said lower portion resting on said viscera or pubes of said cadaver, b. replacing the skin and tissues of said cadaver to their original position prior to said post-mortem examination and engaging therewith the projections of said plate, and c. covering the abdomen and thorax and incisions therein with surgical tape.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said plate is the plate of claim 3 additionally comprising the step of bending said arms downwardly in said abdominal cavity.
 6. The plate of claim 1 wherein said projections are within from about one-fourth to about one-half inch in height.
 7. The plate of claim 1 wherein said projections are about three-eighths inch in height.
 8. The plate of claim 1 wherein said plate is constructed of polymers of styrene, ethylene, vinyl chloride or copolymers thereof.
 9. The plate of claim 1 wherein the underside surface is covered with an absorbent material. 